Perceptions Of Role Ambiguity Research Articles

The relationship between managerial coaching and role ambiguity among nurses in the military health system

Managerial coaching may be an effective strategy to reduce role ambiguity among nurses. Although the benefits of coaching relationships have been demonstrated outside of nursing, there is a lack of evidence about this career development relationship in nursing. A cross-sectional design was used to determine the relationship between managerial coaching and role ambiguity among military and civilian nurses who work in the Military Health System (MHS). Nurses who worked at a large academic medical center in San Antonio, Texas were asked to participate by completing a survey to examine the variables of interest. Among the 382 nurses that responded, perceived role ambiguity was low and managerial coaching was seldom perceived from first-line supervisors. However, there was a significant negative relationship between managerial coaching and role ambiguity. This study provides foundational knowledge about the relationship between managerial coaching and role ambiguity for nurses working in the MHS.

Would you like to become a union leader? Analysing leadership intentions through a generational lens

AbstractIdentifying the next generation of leaders is fundamental for union renewal. Taking a sequential mixed methods approach using interview (n = 25) and survey (n = 4765) data, our study seeks to identify roadblocks members may face on the path to union leadership. Specifically, we explore the impact of union efficacy, perceived role ambiguity and perceived work role overload on union members' intentions to pursue a leadership role. We found perceptions of union efficacy positively influenced leadership intentions, while perceived work role ambiguity and overload had a negative impact. Generational cohort (Boomer, Gen X, Millennial) moderated the relationship between perceived work role overload and leadership intentions, but not the other relationships in the model. Findings from this study help unions develop strategies to motivate members to take on leadership roles.

Perceptions of role ambiguity for Sporting Directors in professional football

ABSTRACT The Sporting Director is one strategy football clubs have adopted to protect their financial sustainability. Little to no research has been undertaken on the Sporting Director role in football. This article draws upon a qualitative methodology to examine perceptions and practices related to the role and its potential implications in football’s growing global business. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with senior stakeholders in football (N = 21). The data was thematically analysed. Findings indicate that the Sporting Director role would be a strategic benefit for football clubs, however several issues related to role ambiguity. The novel empirical insight surrounds three key themes, notably the perception of the role, job description clarity and communication. The study provides novel insights into the elite football stakeholder perceptions of the Sporting Directors. This research offers decision-makers considerations for developing the Sporting Director role in football and recommendations for future research.

How managerial communication reduces perceived job insecurity of flight attendants during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThis research investigates whether and how the quality of vertical communication implemented by airline industry management can reduce perceived job insecurity of flight attendants during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThe sample of this research covers 322 flight attendants from five domestic airlines based in Thailand. An online questionnaire survey was used for data collection, and a partial least squares structural equation model was used for data analysis.FindingsThe results support the negative association between the quality of vertical communication and perceived job insecurity; moreover, this association is partially mediated by perceived role ambiguity. When considering the moderating effect of perceived organizational support on the direct linkage between the quality of vertical communication and perceived job insecurity, the quality of vertical communication only has a negative association with perceived job insecurity among employees who exhibit high levels of perceived organizational support. For those who exhibit low levels of perceived organizational support, the quality of vertical communication does not have a negative association with perceived job insecurity.Originality/valueThis study advances prior communication research by showing that in order for communication to effectively lessen the perceived job insecurity of employees, it needs to be backed by high-quality organizational support.

The impact of role ambiguity on future volunteering: A case study of the 2017 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival

ABSTRACT Research on role ambiguity suggests its relationship to retention and commitment in business, industry and non-profit settings. The purpose of this study was to explore factors associated with perceived role ambiguity experienced by volunteers at the 2017 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival, and their impact on future volunteering engagement and awareness post-event. The study also examined differences in event role ambiguity perceptions based on gender, age and volunteering experience among the participants. Data were collected by a means of an online-administered survey from a sample of 268 volunteers. A response rate of 44% was obtained. Results of principal component analysis suggested two role ambiguity factors consisting of ‘means-ends/expectations & Scope’ and ‘Consequences of role performance’ that were relevant in this event setting. A significant association between volunteering experience and both role ambiguity dimensions were reported, while for ‘means-ends/expectations & scope’ ambiguity, males experienced greater clarity. Finally, the results indicate that role ambiguity is associated with future volunteering beyond the event. Implications for event managers are then explored.

Consequences of managerial indecisiveness

PurposeIn a banking context, this study applies uncertainty management theory (UMT) to test the impact of managerial indecisiveness on salespersons' trust in their manager, perceived role ambiguity and turnover intentions. In addition, the moderating role of managers' leadership style on the link between indecisiveness perceptions and role ambiguity is tested.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire was distributed among customer facing employees from a multinational bank in one of the large metropolitan cities in India. In total, out of 360 questionnaires distributed, 255 responses were coded for analysis resulting in a response rate of 71%. Structural equation modeling, mediation and moderation analyses were applied.FindingsPerceptions of managerial indecisiveness strengthen role ambiguity, which negatively impacts trust in the manager, which in turn increases turnover intentions. The level of participative leadership moderates the link between indecisiveness and role ambiguity.Originality/valueThis is one of the first studies in the sales literature that examines how managerial indecisiveness, role ambiguity and trust in the supervisor can impact salespersons' turnover intentions. Thus, this research makes a useful contribution by examining how managers' decision-making style can shape employee cognition and behavior at the workplace.

Benefits and Disadvantages of Individuals’ Multiple Team Membership: The Moderating Role of Organizational Tenure

AbstractMany employees in today’s organizations are involved in more than one team at the same time. Building on the challenge‐hindrance stressor framework, this study investigates potential benefits and disadvantages of such multiple team membership (MTM) for individual employees. Furthermore, we extend this framework with insights from the job demands‐resources model to propose that, depending on an employee’s organizational tenure, individual MTM will differentially shape his or her perceptions of work challenge and role ambiguity, subsequently influencing the employee’s job performance and absenteeism. We tested our conceptual model using time‐lagged multi‐source data from a large organization of applied research (N = 1211). Our results demonstrate that, for employees with relatively low organizational tenure, MTM was negatively associated with perceived work challenge and positively associated with perceived role ambiguity, which in turn associated with lower job performance and higher absenteeism. For employees with higher organizational tenure, by contrast, MTM associated positively with their work challenge perceptions and subsequent performance outcomes, whereas MTM was unrelated to perceived role ambiguity as well as absenteeism. These findings identify relevant psychological mechanisms and a key contingency factor that explain when and why MTM may have positive or negative individual‐level consequences.

How would the managementof human behavior variables influence customer-oriented management?

PurposeSalesperson’s actions are critical in helping the firm develop customer value orientation and long-term relationship with profitable customers to achieve sustainable sales growth and profitability over time. The purpose of this paper is to examine the salespeople and service executives’ perceptions about the relevance of some human resource management variables and employees’ attitudes as key factors to develop a company’s customer value orientation. The authors tested whether the perceptions of role ambiguity, incentives policy and provided training (PT) had an impact on job involvement (JI), job satisfaction (JS), and consequently, on customer value orientation.Design/methodology/approachResearch design was nested with data from 327 executives from medium and upper positions in Chilean companies.FindingsThe results show that while the perception of role ambiguity had an indirect negative impact on customer value orientation through JI, perception of PT level had a direct impact over and above the other variables.Research limitations/implicationsJS and JI are attitudinal variables, which companies try to encourage in their employees through different human resources, practices. Incentives and training are ways to develop favorable employees’ attitudes and improve their customer value orientation. With the research, companies could invest their resources in better and more effective practices to generate favorable attitudes toward customer value orientation.Originality/valueThrough structural equation modeling, the model shows the relevance in the perception of sales executives about the relationship of employees’ JI and customer value orientation. This commands to open the view of the customer value orientation management to include other attitudinal variables as JI.

Political skill and organizational identification: Preventing role ambiguity from hindering organizational citizenship behaviour

AbstractThis research investigates how employees' perceptions of role ambiguity might inhibit their propensity to engage in organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB), with a particular focus on the potential buffering roles of two personal resources in this process: political skill and organizational identification. Survey data collected from a manufacturing organization indicate that role ambiguity diminishes OCB, but this effect is attenuated when employees are equipped with political skill and have a strong sense of belonging to their organization. The buffering role of organizational identification also is particularly strong when employees have adequate political skills, suggesting the reinforcing, buffering roles of these two personal resources. Organizations that want to foster voluntary work behaviours, even if they cannot provide clear role descriptions for their employees, should nurture adequate personal resources within their employee ranks.

Effective coping strategies for stressed frontline employees in service occupations: outcomes and drivers

ABSTRACT Despite extensive research on the negative outcomes of role ambiguity in boundary-spanning positions, insight into how to prevent frontline employees from experiencing role ambiguity is sparse. This study addresses questions as to how the problem-focused coping strategies used by frontline employees can effectively reduce perceived role ambiguity. The gathered evidence indicates that only action coping is effective, whereas instrumental support seeking in fact enhances perceived role ambiguity. An examination of intrinsic and extrinsic coping resources as drivers of coping has revealed that conscientiousness and supervisor support are helpful coping resources. Contrastively, neuroticism drives insufficient coping and inhibits the effective use of coping resources. We find that managers of service firms should provide training to ensure effective supervisor support; also, in recruitment procedures they should consider potential employees’ personality traits, to reduce and prevent role ambiguity experienced by frontline employees.

PSİKOLOJİK GÜÇLENDİRME DÜZEYLERİNE BAĞLI OLARAK ÖĞRETMENLERİN İŞE YÖNELİK DAVRANIŞLARINDA FARKLILIKLAR OLUŞUR MU?: BİR ALAN ARAŞTIRMASI

Küreselleşen rekabetçi iş ortamında rekabetçi üstünlük sağlamada insan kaynağının önemli bir kaynak olduğu ve güçlendirilmiş çalışanın işletmeye daha çok katkı sağlayacağı düşünüldüğünden, güçlendirilmiş çalışanların işe yönelik davranışlarında nasıl bir değişim meydana geleceğinin açığa çıkarılması, günümüz işletmeciliği açısından önemli bir konudur. Bu çalışmanın amacı işe yönelik davranışlarda psikolojik güçlendirmenin rolünü açığa çıkartmaktır. Bu amaca ulaşmak için öncelikle psikolojik güçlendirme ile işe yönelik davranışlar [Katılımcı Karar Verme, İş Performansı, İş Tatmini, İş-Aile Çatışması, Aile-İş Çatışması, Rol Çatışması, Rol Belirsizliği] arasındaki ilişkiler incelenmiş olup, daha sonra farklı psikolojik güçlendirme düzeylerine bağlı olarak katılımcıların işe yönelik davranış algılamalarında anlamlı farklılık olup olmadığı araştırılmıştır. Elde edilen verilere göre öğretmenlerin psikolojik güçlendirme düzeylerine bağlı olarak katılımcı karar verme, iş performansı, iş tatmini, aile-iş çatışması, rol çatışması ve rol belirsizliği algılamaları arasında anlamlı farklılıklar ortaya çıkmıştır. Bu bulgular, çalışanların psikolojik güçlendirme düzeylerine göre işe yönelik davranışlarda farklılıklar ortaya çıktığını göstererek, psikolojik güçlendirmenin davranışlar üzerinde önemli etkiye sahip olduğunu savunan literatürü destekler niteliktedir.

PSİKOLOJİK GÜÇLENDİRME DÜZEYLERİNE BAĞLI OLARAK ÖĞRETMENLERİN İŞE YÖNELİK DAVRANIŞLARINDA FARKLILIKLAR OLUŞUR MU?: BİR ALAN ARAŞTIRMASI

In a globalizing competitive business environment competitive advantage is an important source of human resources and because it is thought that the empowered employee will contribute more to the business, it is an important issue for today's business to reveal how to make a difference in the behavior of the empowered employees in the workplace because the empowered employee is thought to contribute more to the business The purpose of this study is to highlight the role of psychological empowerment in work-oriented behaviors. In order to achieve this aim, the relationships between psychological empowerment and work-related behaviors (Participatory Decision Making, Job Performance, Job Satisfaction, Work-Family Conflict, Family-Job Conflict, Role Conflict, Role Uncertainty) were examined and then related to different levels of psychological empowerment, it was researched whether there was a significant difference in participants' perception of work-related behavior. Significant differences were found between participant decision making, job performance, job satisfaction, family-work conflict, role conflict, and role ambiguity perceptions, depending on the level of psychological empowerment of the teachers.These findings show that differences occur in work-related behaviors according to the level of psychological empowerment of employees, supports the literature which argues that psychological empowerment has significant influence on behavior.

Role stressors, engagement and work behaviours: a study of higher education professional staff

ABSTRACTThe study used data provided by 349 professional staff employees from 17 different US higher education institutions to assess aspects of their working conditions that could influence their own work engagement and the work-related behaviours of their colleagues. Relationships among three role stressors (role ambiguity, role conflict and role overload), work engagement, organisational citizenship behaviours, and in-role behaviours were examined using correlation, regression and relative weight analyses. The higher participants’ perceptions of role ambiguity, conflict and overload, the lower were the levels of their own work engagement and organizational citizenship and in-role behaviours of their colleagues. Work engagement partially mediated the relationships between role ambiguity, conflict and overload and both organizational citizenship and in-role behaviours. The analysis indicated that role ambiguity had the strongest relationship with work engagement, organisational citizenship and in-role behaviours, followed by role conflict and then by role overload. Practical implications are discussed and managerial interventions suggested.

Reducing the harmful effect of role ambiguity on turnover intentions

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate how employees’ perceptions of role ambiguity might increase their turnover intentions and how this harmful effect might be buffered by employees’ access to relevant individual (innovation propensity), relational (goodwill trust), and organizational (procedural justice) resources. Uncertainty due to unclear role descriptions decreases in the presence of these resources, so employees are less likely to respond to this adverse work situation in the form of enhanced turnover intentions.Design/methodology/approachQuantitative data came from a survey of employees of a large organization in the distribution sector.FindingsRole ambiguity enhances turnover intentions, but this effect diminishes at higher levels of innovation propensity, goodwill trust, and procedural justice.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings reveal several contingencies that attenuate the positive effect of role ambiguity on the desire to leave the organization. However, this study relies on the same respondents to assess all the focal variables, and it lacks a direct measure of the mechanisms by which the contingent factors mitigate the relationship between role ambiguity and turnover intentions.Practical implicationsOrganizations that fail to provide clear role information to employees can counter the resulting uncertainty with relevant personal, relational, and organizational resources.Originality/valueThis investigation shows how employees’ negative reactions to role ambiguity (turnover intentions) can be mitigated by three uncertainty-reducing resources: personal joy from developing new ideas, the extent to which relationships with colleagues is trustworthy, and perceptions that organizational procedures are fair.

의료관광코디네이터 업무에 대한 역할모호성 및 역할갈등이 직무만족 및 직무수행도에 미치는 영향

This research identified the effects of role ambiguity and role conflict in medical tourism coordinator work on job satisfaction and job performance. Three hypotheses were formulated based on theoretical discussion and data collected from attendances at a job- training center for medical tourism coordinators. The results are summarized as follows. First, there were differences in the perception of role ambiguity, role conflict, job satisfaction and job performance between the group performing as medical tourism coordinators and doing other work and the group performing only medical tourism coordinator. Second, as the level of role ambiguity and role conflict increases, it has a negative influence on the 'aptitude and future possibilities' factor as it applies to job satisfaction factors. Third, as the level of 'aptitude and future possibilities' and 'organization support' factors grow higher, it has a positive influence on job performance. Findings from this study show that the role ambiguity and role conflict in medical tourism coordinator work managed to invigorate medical tourism. Therefore, the government, hospitals and medical tourism agencies need to suggest a system of role regulation. Specifically, an examination to adopt an employment quota system in hospitals and medical tourism agencies over a certain size needs to be established. They should also provide job descriptions and a system of promotion and education. Finally, they need a report line that ends at a superior.

A Mediação da Ambidestria do Vendedor na Relação entre Estresse e Desempenho

Resumo Neste artigo sugerimos que a ambidestria do funcionário medeia o efeito negativo do estresse de trabalho no desempenho com vendas. Nós ampliamos a literatura sobre ambidestria, não mais posicionando-a como mediadora dos efeitos já conhecidos do contexto, do desenvolvimento do produto, da flexibilidade estratégica e da natureza dinâmica do ambiente, mas sim como mediadora dos efeitos do estresse sobre o desempenho. Um levantamento foi realizado com 307 funcionários de linha de frente que vendem produtos e serviços e gerenciam carteiras de clientes em instituições bancárias. Os achados mostraram que a capacidade do funcionário em balancear as atividades de provisão de serviços aos clientes e as atividades de vendas configura ambidestria, desencadeando maiores níveis de desempenho. Os resultados também demonstraram que o efeito negativo da percepção de ambiguidade de papéis sobre as medidas de desempenho (satisfação no trabalho e desempenho com vendas) é mediado pelo comportamento ambidestro do funcionário.

Task Performance Repair by Emotions of Human Service Employees

Emotional labor aspects of flight attendants were hypothesized to be significantly and moderate the relationship between role ambiguity and task performance in the changed organizational climate. A questionnaire survey was administered to 413 flight attendants working for an Asian airline. A 5-point Likert-type scale was employed to assess the aspects of the role ambiguity (RA) and emotional labor aspects. The results show that “surface acting” moderates the negative effect on task performance, when RA is lowly perceived. On the other hand, when the level of the RA is highly perceived by employees, “surface acting” might not able to moderate the negative effect on task performance of employer. Since the high perception of RA might lead the employees to feel the dilemma about how much of themselves to give to their roles and how much to protect themselves from the RA, suggesting their emotional exhaustion, moreover, to burnout propensity. The contemporary human service employees perceive certain kind of role ambiguity or dilemma in the changing industrial climate, even though they clearly understand their roles. Using emotional labor as a psychological tool in a human service interaction, particularly in the speed-up situations that the employees perceived role ambiguity, can help moderate or repair the downward propensity to task performance. Thus, by using the right tool (or remedy) at the right place, the employees can have an effect. The way to offer hospitality make differentiates a company from others, particularly in the recent trend that IT and automate machine substitute jobs that used to be done by employees. Emotional competence makes the employees possible to execute the quality of service with hospitality. Emotionally competent employees provide an organization with harmony and integrity and can increase the competitiveness of the company because the employees effectively adapt the company’s strategy and work efficiently.

The effects of felt accountability and role ambiguity on organisational commitment: a replication of results analysing social network analysis

Using the conflict theory of decision making (Janis and Mann, 1977) as a theoretical foundation, we examined the moderating effects of role ambiguity on the felt accountability-organisational commitment relationship. Data from a the USA healthcare provider indicated that clear role expectations ameliorate the strain reactions caused by felt accountability on continuance commitment, but not on affective commitment. In particular, as felt accountability increased, employees who perceived low levels of role ambiguity experienced more continuance commitment, but those with high role ambiguity perceptions experienced less continuance commitment. By measuring felt accountability with a roster (i.e., social network analysis) and an established scale, we were able to replicate our results, thus lending credence to our findings and providing a new measurement approach for an important organisational stressor.

Mental health risks among nurses under abusive supervision: the moderating roles of job role ambiguity and patients' lack of reciprocity.

BackgroundWhile the nursing profession has been associated with mental health problems and the research into the antecedents of mental health has steadily grown, the relationship between abusive supervision and mental health issues of anxiety and depression remains largely unknown.AimThis study aims to examine the relationship between abusive supervision and mental health problems. And we also aim to investigate whether this relationship is moderated by role ambiguity and the patients’ lack of reciprocity.MethodsA total of 227 frontline nurses from two public hospitals completed the survey questionnaire.Results(1) Abusive supervision was positively associated with poor mental health; (2) the positive relationship was moderated by nurses’ perceived role ambiguity in such a way that the relationship was stronger when the perceived role ambiguity is high; (3) the positive relationship was moderated by the patients’ lack of reciprocity in such a way that the relationship was stronger when patients’ lack of reciprocity was high.ConclusionsTo conclude, the present study showed that abusive supervision was positively associated with mental health problems of anxiety and depression among samples of Chinese nurses. Findings of this study also highlighted that this relationship was contingent upon perceived role ambiguity and patients’ reciprocity.

Strengthening Role Clarity in Acute Care Nurse Case Managers

The purpose of this quality improvement study was to evaluate the impact of a novel educational intervention on nurse case managers' (NCMs') perceived role ambiguity, role conflict, and use of nursing competencies. Specific aims were to apply the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Synergy Model for Patient Care to determine the use of the model's nurse competencies in acute care case management, to pilot test the feasibility of using widely available basic computer technologies to facilitate NCMs' orientation in acute care settings, and to establish the foundation for future work in developing an evidence-based orientation program for new NCMs based on a nursing conceptual framework. Two acute care community hospitals in northeastern Ohio, both part of a large national hospital corporation. The sample consisted of NCMs who were actively employed in 1 of 2 acute care hospitals and voluntarily agreed to participate in this quality improvement study. Data on perceived role conflict and role ambiguity, perceived use of nurse competencies in bedside nursing and in case management, demographics, and evaluative feedback were collected using Google Docs. The intervention consisted of a series of four self-paced computer-based learning modules that provided participants with an introduction to acute care nursing case management based on the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Synergy Model. Four of the 6 role ambiguity subscale item scores revealed reductions in role ambiguity after the educational intervention. A statistically significant decrease in one role conflict item was observed. Participants rated the use of all nurse competencies as higher in case management than in bedside nursing practice; the variance between the two further increased after the intervention. Statistically significant differences in the use of clinical judgment, advocacy/moral agency, and caring practices were identified. Participants reported that the educational content would be valuable for new NCMs transitioning from bedside clinical practice. The addition of case studies or clinical scenarios illustrating each nurse competency was suggested. Testing of the Synergy Model-based education modules with novice case managers actively transitioning from the bedside to a case management role will be the next step in the development of this program. : The use of widely available computer technologies to deliver introductory case management orientation content is feasible, although conversion to a web-based platform is recommended. Evidence-based strategies to prepare NCMs for expanded competency in clinical judgment, advocacy/moral agency, and caring practices are needed.